Federal District Court Dismisses Several Challenges to SB 1070

The following is the text of a December 10, 2010, press release from Arizona Governor Jan Brewer:

“Governor Jan Brewer today announced that the federal district court has granted her motions to dismiss the challenges to SB 1070 filed by Phoenix police officers David Salgado, Corbet Clack, and Paul Dobson and Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc., and the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders et al. The court also dismissed several claims filed by the United States against the State of Arizona.

“I am pleased with today’s decisions,” stated Governor Brewer. “I strongly believe that the citizens of Arizona will ultimately prevail in all of these legal challenges. My defense of the rule of law will continue as vigorously as ever.”

The Arizona Legislature enacted SB 1070 primarily to require that Arizona’s law enforcement officers cooperate in the enforcement of federal immigration laws and, pursuant to the State’s broad police powers, to adopt state crimes that mirror existing federal laws. These laws were duly passed by the Arizona Legislature to protect the citizens of Arizona from the federal government’s failure to enforce the immigration laws effectively.

In today’s orders Judge Susan Bolton agreed with the Governor that the Phoenix police officers, Chicanos Por La Causa, and all of the plaintiffs in the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders action lack standing to bring the suits and rejected every one of their standing arguments.”